Plug-in hybrid vehicles and range extended electric vehicles have the potential to provide their owners substantial fuel cost savings and can ultimately reduce the dependence on petroleum fuels. With these vehicles, particularly range extended electric vehicles, the performance available is related to the availability of electric charge in the batteries to provide motive power or supplement the conventional internal combustion engine. Once the electric charge is depleted, the vehicle performance can be diminished.
For short local journeys with intervening time periods, a hybrid vehicle user has the opportunity to charge the vehicle battery adequately between journeys from the mains or other external electrical power source. For longer journeys, the internal combustion engine is used, or is used more, and this can lead to deterioration in vehicle performance.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a system that avoids reliance, or increased reliance, on the engine of a hybrid vehicle when being driven. In addition, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.